Recording dynamic holograms in a semiconductor crystal CdF<Subscript>2</Subscript>:In

The kinetics of decay of a phase hologram in a semiconductor CdF₂ crystal with bistable In centers is studied. Kinetic constants of the hologram decay are found, and the potential relief of the bistable center is plotted. The resolving power of the crystal is evaluated and recording of a transparency is demonstrated.     

Effect of maltodextrins on the surface activity of small-molecule surfactants

We report on the effect of commercially important polysaccharides (maltodextrins with variable dextrose equivalent (Paselli SA-2, MD-6 and MD-10) on the surface activity at the air–water interface of small-molecule surfactants (sms), possessing different hydrophobic–lipophilic balance ((SSL (Na⁺), the main component is a sodium salt of stearol–lactoyl lactic acid, and PGE (080), polyglycerol ester of C18 fatty acid), and widely used in food products. A marked change of the surface activity of sms was found in the presence of maltodextrins by tensiometry. The combined data of laser multiangle light scattering and mixing calorimetry have suggested that this result is governed by specific complex formation between maltodextrins and sms in aqueous medium. Measurements have been made of the molar mass, the second virial coefficient and the enthalpy of intermolecular interactions in aqueous solutions. The implication of a degree of polymerization of maltodextrins in this phenomenon was shown. The interrelation between the molecular parameters of the formed complexes and their surface activity at the air–water interface has been revealed and discussed.     

Photon-induced reactions

An overview over the experimental research programs with photon beams is given with the focus on the electromagnetic excitation of the nucleon and the subsequent decay via mesons. Photoproduction of mesons on the free proton and on nucleons embedded in nuclei up to 1 GeV incident-photon energy are discussed.Received: 30 September 2002, Published online: 22 October 2003PACS: 13.60.Le Meson production - 13.60.Rj Baryon production - 14.20.Gk Baryon resonances with S = 0 - 25.20.Lj Photoproduction reactions     

Investigation and modelling of damping in a plate with a bonded porous layer

Behavior of a poro-elastic material bonded onto a vibrating plate is investigated in the low-frequency range. From the analysis of dissipation mechanisms, a model accounting for damping added by the porous layer on the plate is derived. This analysis is based on a 3-D finite element formulation including poro-elastic elements based on Biot displacement theory. First, dissipated powers related to thermal, viscous and viscoelastic dissipation are explicited. Then a generic configuration (simply-supported aluminium plate with a bonded porous layer and mechanical excitation) is studied. Thermal dissipation is found negligible. Viscous dissipation can be optimized as a function of airflow resistivity. It can be the major phenomenon within soft materials, but for most foams viscoelastic dissipation is dominant. Consequently an equivalent plate model is proposed. It includes shear in the porous layer and only viscoelasticity of the skeleton. Excellent agreement is found with the full numerical model.     

L2 -cohomology of manifolds with flat ends

Geometric and Functional Analysis - We give a topological interpretation of the spaces of L2 -harmonic forms on manifolds with flat ends. We also prove a Chern-Gauss-Bonnet formula for the L2...     

Crack path instabilities in DCDC experiments in the low speed regime

We studied the low speed fracture regime (10⁻⁴-10⁻⁹ m s⁻¹) in different glassy materials (soda-lime glass, glass ceramics) with variable but controlled length scale of heterogeneity. The chosen mechanical system enabled us to work in pure mode I (tensile) and at a fixed load on double cleavage drilled compression specimen. The internal residual stresses of studied samples were carefully relaxed by appropriate thermal treatment. By means of optical and atomic force microscopy techniques fracture surfaces have been examined. We have shown for the first time that the crack front line underwent an out-of-plane oscillating behavior as a result of a reproducible sequence of instabilities. The wavelength of such a phenomenon is in the micrometer range and its amplitude in the nanometer range. These features were observed for different glassy materials providing that a typical length scale characterizing internal heterogeneities was lower than a threshold limit estimated to few nanometers. This effect is the first clear experimental evidence of crack path instabilities in the low speed regime in a uniaxial loading experiment. This phenomenon has been interpreted by referring to the stability criterion for a straight crack propagation as presented by Adda-Bedia et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 76 (1996) 1497].     

Relaxor type perovskites: Primary candidates of nano-polar regions

Relaxor properties of 0.7Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.3PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT) and non-lead perovskite thin films have been analysed in terms of large frequency dispersion of dielectric response at low temperatures. A wide spectrum of dielectric relaxation was observed in the frequency-dependent response of the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity. Transformation from normal ferroelectric to relaxor behaviour has been observed in the case of the Ca substituting the BaTiO₃ thin films. A number of techniques were exploited to investigate the wide spectrum of relaxation times in pulsed laser ablated thin films.ac anddc electric field induced complex dielectric properties of 0.7Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.3PbTiO₃ (PMN-PT) thin films were studied as function of frequencies at different temperatures. Nonlinear behaviour of dielectric susceptibility with respect to the amplitude of theac drive was observed at lower temperatures. The frequency dependence of transition temperatureT _m (temperature of the maximum of dielectric constant) was studied using the Vogel-Fulcher relation. Dedicated to Professor C N R Rao on his 70th birthday